It's Like That
by rejected-goddess
Summary: You wanted it! You asked for it! So here it is! Chapter 8: Ties that bind is now up. For all that waited so patiently I thank you. The next one will be quicker I promise. So Read, Review, and enjoy!
1. Default Chapter

**It's Like That**

**Chapter 1**

**Disclaimer **

I do not own Gundam Wing or the characters that are used in this fanfic. It is written solely for my enjoyment of writing and with the hopes that other people will review this and help me become a better writer. I would also like to thank the brilliant minds that came up with Gundam Wing. The only thing I have to say is, why didn't you make all the guys gay? It would have saved the trouble of us yaoi lovers having to argue with everyone else that Duo-chan and He-chan were meant for each other. Really, what were you thinking? Ok enough of my ranting. On with the fic! Enjoy!

He scanned the crowded room as he strode in. He hated social gatherings and only came because his friends begged him to. Friends, it was still a wonder that he could consider think of them as such. Being raised as a killing machine had never had any training in human relationships. Out of habit he made a mental check of everyone in the room and where the closest exits were.

"Heeeeeroooooooo!" came the all to familiar screeching of Relena Peacecraft.

Heero silently wondered what he had done to deserve this kind of punishment. The woman had an uncanny knack of spotting him anywhere at a public function. She was also the main reason he dreaded coming to any kind of Preventers gathering. As President of the UPC (Universal Peace Confederation) she made it her personal duty to make sure everything was going well with the Preventers and their missions. Unfortunately she also had and infatuation with him after he had saved her life a few times during the war. She just couldn't seem to get it through her thick skull that he was doing it for the future of peace between the colonies and Earth. Finally reaching her destination Relena quickly clamped onto Heero's arm and began her annoying chatter about business and her "stress filled" day. Why only the day you ask and not the week or month? Well the answer is simple. Relena had a bad habit of calling him and leaving messages telling all about her day, every day.

"So Heero, I heard that you came without a date tonight. I was just wondering why such an attractive man such as yourself would be without someone to escort."

"Pardon me miss Relena but I don't see how that is any of your business. If you must know though I just prefer the solitude." Heero replied.

Heero's friends had by that time spotted the possibility of one of Relena's scenes and decided to save him and her from the embarrassment of the entire Preventer's headquarters and quite a few of the UPC representatives as well.

"Heero there you are" commented Duo as he, Quatre, and Trowa approached them. "I was wondering if you would even show up tonight."

"Hn. I told you I would be here and I never go back on my word. You should know that by now." Heero said a bit wounded that Duo would think he wouldn't keep his word. To the untrained eye it was merely a statement but Duo knew better and his sparkling violet eyes softened. Relena was completely unaware of this little incident seeing as she was to involved drooling on Heero.

"Heero I was thinking that since you didn't have a date you would dance with me." Relena said, coming out more like a command than an inquiry.

Heero stiffened at this tone and abruptly pulled away from her with a barely contained look of disgust on his face. "Look Relena, I told you that I would rather be alone and you still don't get the hint. I would appreciate it if you would stop hanging all over me and let me be for more than five minutes." Relena had a look of dumb shock on her face as she stood there looking at the only man to ever rebuke her affections. "And please close your mouth before people see me with someone who resembles a beached fish."

Relena abruptly snapped her mouth closed and pursed her lips into a thin white line that didn't become her at all. "You'd do well not to cross me Heero, remember that." At that she spun on her heel and marched out of the banquet hall.

During this whole incident Duo, Quatre, and Trowa had barely been suppressing laughter, as Relena had been thoroughly embarrassed in front of about three hundred people. As she finally disappeared from the room Duo lost all control and started laughing hysterically.

"That has got to be the greatest thing I've ever witnessed. I would've paid to have a video camera to catch every moment of it" Duo managed to get out between desperate gasps for air. "Maybe I can get a copy of it from the security cameras." He said bemusedly.

"Hn. I did what was necessary to remove her from my presence." Was Heero's nonchalant reply. "This party isn't my taste so I think I'm going to leave. I'll see you all at work tomorrow" he said as he turned for the door.

"Wait up Heero, I'll go with you." Duo called before Heero could escape. "I'm pretty beat and I'd like the company on the way back to headquarters.

"Suit yourself" was all that Duo got from him as Heero kept walking toward the exit, and freedom.

They got their coats from the doorman and left in silence both immersed in their own thoughts. Heero was starting to wonder why Duo had wanted to accompany him even though it was logical because they both lived in the same apartment building. Duo normally stayed with the much more conversational Quatre considering how much he liked to talk. Sneaking a glance over at Duo he noticed that he was staring at the ground lost in thought. That expression on his face is so cute right now and his eyes, Gods I could get lost in those eyes. Wait a minute. Where the hell had that come from? Shaking his head Heero tried to dispel those unsettling thoughts. Taking a closer look at Duo he examined all his physical attributes even though he had seen the American everyday for the past two years. Duo was dressed in a black and white tux for the banquet, which was slightly mussed from his energetic movements and being stuck in that stuffy room of compressed bodies. The tux fit his slim form perfectly, accenting his trim waist well toned chest and broad shoulders. His hands were stuffed in his pockets as he stared at the ground and his impossibly long braid brushed his hips in rhythm with his strides. Small wisps of hair had escaped from his braid and now framed his face. Then there were those eyes again, looking so pensive in the late evening and glowing like twin violet fires.

Gods he could get lost in those eyes. He shook his head again. What was he thinking? He had never thought of Duo this way before. Besides even if he wanted to pursue these strange thoughts Duo himself would never look at him that way. Duo was a Christian and from what he knew homosexuality was forbidden in that religion. Heero stared at the ground hard, besides he didn't know the first thing about relationships; he was only trained to kill.

"Heero what's wrong" came a soft voice through his foggy mind. "You look like something is bothering you."

Heero silently berated himself for letting his guard down enough for the American to notice. "Nothing's wrong Duo."

"You know if I didn't know you so well I wouldn't know you were lying." He said nothing else as they walked the rest of the way to the apartment complex before either of them said anything else. "So what's wrong?"

"I told you Duo, it's nothing so don't worry about it." He started to unlock his apartment when Duo's next question stopped him in his tracks.

"H-Heero, d-do you t-think…." He stopped in embarrassment and turned away quickly.

"Duo?" Heero asked quizzically, puzzled by Duo's strange behavior.

"Nothing Heero forget it," he said as he started to walk to his own apartment. Heero's hand shot out and grabbed his arm turning him back around to face him.

"What is it Duo?" he asked softly looking Duo in the eyes.

Averting his eyes Duo stared at the intricate pattern on the carpet. "Well I was just wondering if maybe…if maybe I could come in for a while." He finished hurriedly. He waited for the harsh rejection of his request for a moment, but looked up in confusion when it didn't come. He looked at Heero who was thinking about it with great care.

"Well my apartment isn't the most decorative place so I hope you don't have any expectations about it" he said watching as Duo's eyes lit up. Heero wondered that Duo had wanted to go in to begin with. And the way his eyes brightened just from being let into his apartment! Could it be that Duo might like him? No, it wasn't possible, was it?

He shook his head as he turned to unlock his apartment as Duo bounced happily up and down in the hallway. Opening the door he quickly strode in and removed his shiny black dress shoes. Duo walked in cautiously thinking it to good to be true. He looked around in amazement. The room was perfectly decorated; nothing clashed or warred with another object for attention. Black furniture was centered in the living room, really it was only a couch and an armchair, but it set off the cream-colored walls well. A coffee table was positioned in front of the couch and beside the armchair, which were facing the television. The small kitchen was next to the living room. It was basically all one big room so it seemed more like a studio than an apartment. Heero's bedroom must have been back the hallway that led off from the living room.

"The furniture and décor were already here when I moved in I just never had the time or motivation to change it" Heero provided as Duo investigated his house. He was a bit nervous, no one else had ever been to his apartment before and he was worried that Duo would think something was wrong.

"Well I give my compliments to whoever decorated, it was done very well," Duo replied trying to ease some of the doubts he was sure Heero was feeling. Heero silently let out a breath he'd been holding. He felt like he should be a good host so he asked the first thing that came to mind.

"Would you like anything to eat?" Duo laughed slightly at that because he knew for sure Heero was nervous. They had just come from a banquet and Heero knew his appetite. Duo had probably eaten two plates of food in the first five minutes he had arrived.

"No thanks, we just came from that banquet so I'm stuffed, but thanks for asking" he replied to try and let Heero know that it wasn't that he didn't want to inconvenience him.

"Well then would you like anything to drink?" He asked hopefully.

"Sure, whatever you're going to have is fine for me." Duo replied.

Heero walked to the fridge and got two cans of Coke. He and Duo walked over to the living room and sat down as he handed a can to Duo. They sat in silence for a moment until Heero asked the question that he had wanted to know since Duo had stepped into his apartment. "Duo, why did you want to come in."

Duo considered his answer carefully. He had wanted to talk to Heero about something, but now that he was here he wasn't sure if he wanted to ask or not. He wasn't at all sure what Heero would think and he couldn't bear the pain if it went badly. He could always just blame it on curiosity and Heero would never question it knowing how inquisitive he was at times. He chanced steeling a glance at Heero who was staring intently at him lost deep in thought. As Heero realized he had been caught staring he quickly turned his head and took a drink of his soda. Duo decided right then that he would take the chance, it was now or never.

"Heero I wanted to come in because I wanted to discuss something with you."

Heero looked at him quizzically. "A Preventers mission?"

Duo shook his head. "No it has nothing to do with work. I've been debating asking you something for the past couple of months but I never had the guts to actually ask you because of Relena."

"Relena?" Heero asked in astonishment. "What the hell has she got to do with anything?" He asked, just disgusted thinking about her.

Duo chuckled. "Well after tonight I was reassured that she had nothing to do with what I wanted to ask you. It's just that you never asked her to leave whenever she bothered you before so I thought that you had a thing for her."

Heero snorted at Duo's last statement. "I never liked her at all, tonight was just the last straw. I couldn't take her hanging all over me anymore," he said with a look of distaste.

Duo looked at the floor sobering and then looked up into Heero's cobalt blue eyes. Gods look at him, he thought, his strong jaw and plush kissable lips. I just want to run my hands through that sexy mussed chocolate hair. He stopped himself before his imagination got the better of him. Staring into his eyes Duo asked the question he'd been dying to ask for months.

(To be continued)

Rejected Goddess: Good? Bad? Nothing special? I hope everyone likes it but constructive criticism would be appreciated. This is my first fanfic and I hope that I can improve and write better ones in the future. The later chapters are going to get…interesting. Well please review and e-mail me if you have any lengthy suggestions. 


	2. Endless Shock

Disclaimer 

I do not own Gundam Wing. The rights to this anime are reserved solely for thewriters, artists, publishers, etc. As I've stated before even though the people that came upwith this anime are geniuses I still can't see why they didn't make all of the pilots gay to begin with. It would have saved us so much wasted time arguing with all of those closed minded weirdoes out there.

I'm so sorry that this has taken so long to post for those of you that have read it. School has been a nightmare lately and I also just got done with the annual anti-drug camp that our voices group does for the kids in our district. A three-day weekend trying to keep 175 kids quiet between speakers and skits. So needless to say I lost my voice from trying to get them quiet. And for any of you that are in theatre, I would like you to know that I'm committing mental suicide by trying to learn 4 plays at once so writing this fanfic unfortunately has to take about 6th place on my agenda. So I apologize to any of you that are starting to like this story. As far as I know though only one person has read it cuz that's all that has reviewed. :'( It saddens me to think that I'm using the precious little free time that I have to write a fic that no one is reading.

I would have been reading my like to thank all of the people who fanfic. I really appreciate it but I would also like if I got more reviews. Seeing as only one person has reviewed. If you would like to talk to me you can get my e-mail addy off the page by clicking on the e-mail link.

That's next to the pen name for those of you that don't know. I've really been enjoying writing this story and I hope all of you like it. But I won't know if you don't review now will I? So read and review! And now on to the story!

Heero sat quietly waiting for Duo to finish his question. A thousand thoughts were streaming through his head. 'What if he asks me not to talk to him any more? What if he asks me for advice about a girlfriend? What if he wants to know if I'm really gay and doesn't want me around if I am?' As these thoughts tormented him Duo watched him carefully for signs that he should continue. Heero's hand gripped the couch a little tighter as the doubts he was feeling continued to make him nervous. If Duo hadn't been watching him so closely he would have missed it. Taking that as sign encouragingly Duo took a deep breath to continue.

Riiiiiiing. Duo and Heero both glared at the object responsible for the interruption. Heero stood and Duo sighed at the lost opportunity. To his surprise though Heero growled and pulled the phone line out of it, effectively shutting the annoyance up. He turned back to Duo and waited for him to continue. "You were saying?" Heero said dryly.

Duo cleared his throat and looked at the floor. "I was wondering…um…if you ah…would…" he squeezed his eyes shut and spewed out the words before he lost the nerves he had desperately worked up. "Wouldyouliketogotodinnerwithme?" There he had said it. He held his breath waiting for the rejection to come. The silence stretched on and Duo chanced a peek at Heero's face. He was standing in front of him looking stunned. 'Wait a minute' Duo thought to himself, 'Heero stunned? But he never shows any emotion, well at least not this openly.' After Duo finished thinking that Heero seemed to snap out of his daze.

"You really want me to go to dinner with you?" Heero asked hesitantly, still slightly amazed by the fact Duo hadn't told him to leave him alone. Duo nodded wondering how he had stunned the perfect soldier. "Yes I would love to go to dinner with you." Heero answered, a little breathless. "Just tell me when and where."

"Tomorrow night sound good to you?" Duo asked brightly, happy that Heero hadn't rejected him. Heero thought about it for a moment then nodded.

"That should be fine. I know we both have some work to do at Head Quarters tomorrow but we both have the morning shift so that shouldn't be a problem." Heero told Duo.

"You know my schedule?" Duo asked raising an eyebrow questioningly. Heero shrugged nonchalantly.

"It's a habit. Better to know who's working than be caught unprepared in an emergency." He explained.

"Yeah I guess you have a point. So where do you want to eat?" Duo asked. Heero just shook his head and looked at Duo with a mischievous glint in his cobalt eyes.

"Surprise me" was all he said.

"Okay Heero. I'll pick you up here tomorrow at seven, is that alright?" Duo asked.

"Sounds good to me" Heero said finishing off his soda.

"Well, I better get home so I can get some rest before work. I'll see you tomorrow morning." At that Duo stood and started for the door. Heero walked him to it.

"I'll see you tomorrow Duo." Heero hesitated a moment, unsure of what he was about to do. He resolved that he wouldn't know unless he did it so he wouldn't waste this chance. He leaned towards Duo and softly kissed his cheek. Startled Duo touched the spot that was still tingling from the brief contact of Heero's lips. A smile spread across his face thinking of how much it had taken for him to make that small move.

"Good night 'Ro. Sweet dreams," Duo said softly as he opened the door and walked into the hall. Heero watched as Duo walked towards his apartment and slowly shut the door when he went out of site. He sauntered back to his chair and sat down with a satisfied smile on his face. This had to be the best thing that had ever happened to him. Duo liked him. He shook his head in amazement and wandered off to get a shower and go to bed.

The next morning Duo bounced happily into the Preventer's Head Quarters. Quatre, seeing this, just shook his head and smiled. The braided man had a tendency to be overly hyper sometimes and this looked like one of those days. Trowa walked up behind Quatre groggily holding a cup of coffee. He groaned and took a sip of it when he saw the bouncing Duo.

"It is way too early for Duo to be bouncing around like that" Trowa said sleepily.

"I think it's cute. Besides it's nice to see someone other than me happy in the morning." Quatre said in defense of Duo.

Trowa leaned down to whisper to the blonde. "Oh I'm happy, but I never get any sleep keeping p with your demands love." Quatre had the grace to blush and look at his toes.

"Aww, c'mon Tro, can't you stop teasing Quat? Besides we all know you love all of his demands!" Duo told the lanky brunette with a wink upon entering the lounge. Trowa laughed and nodded his agreement not even bothering to argue with the mischievous American.

"That I do" Trowa replied as he wrapped his free arm around his lover's waist.

Quatre just shook his head. "You two are impossible," he said looking into his lover's sparkling green eye. "So Duo why so happy this morning?"

Duo feigned a hurt expression. "Quat it wounds me to hear you say that. Aren't I always happy?"

"Well yes, but something is different today, you have a glow about you that wasn't there before." Quatre said with a knowing stare. "So what's got you in such a good mood? C'mon Duo, spill the beans!"

"Well…I…uh…" Duo spluttered looking flustered. Luckily for him Heero chose that moment to breeze into the room with a smile and a cheery "Good morning guys." Trowa and Quatre just gapped like fish as he got a bottle of water from the mini fridge. Duo brightened and trotted over to him.

"Morning 'Ro. Sleep well?" Duo asked as he found some orange juice.

"As a matter of fact I did. You?" Heero asked in return. The conversation went on as the two other men turned to look at each other in shock. Trowa was the first one able to form a stunned sentence.

"Heero…is…talking…in SENTANCES," he stated. Quatre just nodded and sat on the couch, unable to say anything else.

Wufei walked into the lounge hearing Duo's chatter halfway down the hall. "Maxwell can't you ever talk in a…" He stopped as he noticed exactly whom the braided individual was talking to. He raised his hand pointing at Heero in shock. "Yuy is…having a real…conversation?" Unable to handle this new information, Wufei's brain shut down. Heero and Duo finally stopped talking when they heard a loud thump. Looking over the saw Wufei crumpled on the floor. Duo rushed over to check his pulse.

"Heero get the smelling salts, Quatre help me…Quatre?" Duo looked over to see Quatre staring off into space. He walked over and smacked him on the cheek. "Quatre what's wrong with you? Didn't you see Fei faint?"

"Huh? Oh Allah! Wufei!" Quatre said as he leapt off the couch to bend over Wufei. Seeing his lover take action brought Trowa out of his stupor. He took off his suit jacket, folded it and placed it under Wufei's head to cushion it. Heero returned and bent over the comatose Chinese man with the smelling salts, passing them under his nose a few times. This brought him back to the land of the living. Heero held him down when he tried to sit up.

"You might have hit your head when so you don't want to sit up too fast." He used the pen flashlight on his key chain to make sure his pupils weren't dilated. "Doesn't look like anything serious, but you might have a horrible headache later." He helped the unsteady man to his feet and led him to the couch. "Do you have any idea what caused you to faint?" Heero asked trying to get to the bottom of the incident."

"As a matter of fact I do. It was you!" Wufei said heatedly.

"How could Heero make you faint?" Duo asked feeling a surge of protectiveness for the Japanese man. "He was clear across the room talking to me."

"Yeah, that's what I mean. Heero TALKING, and to you no less. The only things I've heard him say to you are 'baka' and 'moron'," Wufei said in a matter of fact voice. "Why would he start talking to you like this now?" The silence in the room was profound as everyone waited to hear the answer to the question they were all thinking.

"Duo is my friend," Heero said slowly considering his words before he said them, "and I like talking to him. Is there something wrong with that?" He asked genuinely confused. Weren't friends supposed to talk to each other? Had he done something wrong? Duo could see the doubts gnawing at him and came to his rescue.

"You didn't do anything wrong 'Ro. It just stunned them that the change came so suddenly. Now I don't know about you guys but I have work to do if I want to get out of here on time today. I'll see you all later." He gave Heero a comforting pat on the back as he left. Trowa and Wufei followed Duo's Lead and went on to their offices, but Quatre lingered with Heero. He turned to ask the blonde of everything was okay when he noticed the searching look the small Arabian was giving him. As Heero started to get uncomfortable, Quatre broke into a grin.

"I hope everything works out for you two," and with that he left. Heero just shook his head knowing that he had an ability to read people like the Sunday newspaper. He knew the empathetic man would figure it out sooner or later so he wasn't surprised he knew already.

Heero looked at his watch anxiously. It was almost five, which meant he was almost able to get out the hellhole he called work and get ready for his date with the violet-eyed wonder. Was it really a date? He wasn't being too presumptuous was he? Maybe it was just a dinner between two friends. Besides he wasn't even sure if Duo was gay or not. Ah to hell with it! He'd been done with his work since four-thirty and had been doing nothing for the past half an hour, he could check out of work early just once. He grabbed his jacket and hurried to punch out. After escaping several people with hurried apologies he finally reached his car and slid into the driver's seat. He took a deep breath and slowly let it out. If he was nervous he would probably end up speeding home and that wouldn't help any. So he drove the speed limit and it only took fifteen minutes anyway. He also forced himself to go up the stairs at a normal pace. He didn't want to alarm anyone that saw him by running; the only time he ran was in an emergency when speed was necessary. By the time he got to his apartment it was still only five-thirty, what was he supposed to do for an hour and a half? Well, he could get a shower, that would kill some time. Getting out of the shower he noticed it was only six, which meant there was still an hour left. Sighing he dried his hair and looked in the mirror to see it sticking out at all angles as usual. He left the bathroom not even trying to fix it because he knew not even glue could make it do other wise. He walked to his bedroom with a towel around his waist and dug through his clothes trying to find something nice to wear. He started to regret not knowing what restaurant they were going to. How was he supposed to know what to wear? What if he didn't dress nice enough? What if he dressed too nice? Finally he settle for a pair of black slacks and a long sleeved black silk shirt. As he finished dressing he heard a knock at the door. Wondering who it would be at his apartment he started for the next door. It couldn't be Duo yet it was only six-thirty. Heero opened the door to reveal the braided god behind it.

"Sorry I'm early, but I was ready earlier than planned. So I thought that I'd come and see if you were ready too." Duo said quickly giving away how nervous he was.

"Hai Duo. I'm glad you're early. I was starting to wonder what I could do for another half an hour." Heero said trying to reassure him a bit. "You look wonderful," he told him noticing how Duo was dressed. He was wearing a long sleeved violet dress shirt that matched his eyes and brought them out more if that was even possible. He also wore a pair of black slacks and black dress shoes. "Let me grab my coat and we can go."

"Alrighty!" Duo said brightly. He was watching Heero like a hawk as he walked back into the apartment. He looked sexy in that outfit. And the black just helped to accent his deep cobalt eyes. The shirt and pants clung in all the right places, but left oh so much to his imagination. He took a deep breath to get rid of the images said imagination were producing, other wise they may never get out of the apartment. Heero returned a moment later and the two walked down to the parking lot.

"So where are we going?" Heero asked trying to catch him off guard.

"Aww, but didn't you tell me to surprise you?" Duo asked as he opened the passenger door for Heero. He watched as he slid into the seat and made a face knowing that his spontaneous request the day before had been turned around on him. Duo laughed and slid into the driver's seat next to him. Starting the car he looked at Heero and smiled. "And we're off," he said pulling out. This was going to be a night to remember.

Well that's the end of this chapter. I hope you all enjoyed it. Please review and tell me what you thought. Good, bad, anything. If you have any ideas you'd like to share with me please e-mail me and we can discuss them. I love meeting new people - and as a new author I can always use outside input! Thanks for reading this and I'll try to have the next chapter up soon.

RejectedGoddess 3 . you can reach me by e-mail at


	3. A Bet

** Disclaimer**

I do not own GW or the characters that appear in this story, but I'm sure that if they were mine I wouldn't have made them exactly like they are now. All you yaoi fans know what I mean . !

** Sorry that it's been almost a week since my last posting but I haven't been able to get to the library (my comp is dead) because I kinda had an accident with my car. So………yeah…….anywho here's the third chapter and it's a bit longer than the last two so I hope you all enjoy long chapters. So read on and let me know what you think. And I would like to thank all of you who reviewed the last chapter and gave me the support I needed to keep this story going. With so much other junk going on right now I was thinking about just putting it on the back burner. But just for those of you who have reviewed I'm putting this one out now. I was gonna make you wait till I had the 4th chap done. Ok I would like to say a special thanks to:**

**Keiran. **

**Your advice was really great, but would you please e-mail me? I'd like to talk to you about some ideas. And I did have divisions for the scene changes but they kinda disappeared during the upload for some reason. If anyone knows how to fix that let me know. And I've already tried the edit thingy but it didn't work. Ok enough of that. On with the show!**

** The ride to the restaurant took about twenty minutes. It was relatively quiet considering Duo was too nervous to think of anything intelligible to say and Heero never had much practice in conversation. So the ride came to seem almost unbearably long.**

** Pulling into the parking lot, Duo parked the car and looked at his watch.**

"**Well Heero we're kinda early so we can't go in yet. I made the reservations for seven twenty." He looked at Heero considering his next words carefully. "Do you just want to sit here and talk or do you wanna do something else?" **

** "Talking is fine with me." Duo waited for Heero to say something after that but the silence stretched on.**

** "So…how was work today?"**

** "Well except for Wufei fainting and how long it took to get out of there it was just another normal day."**

** "Yeah the day did seem really slow. And Fei passing out cold has gotta be one of the funniest things that's ever happened there." Duo said trying not to laugh as he recalled the stunned 'dragon' coming to in a daze. It was silent again for what seemed like hours before he worked up the nerve to ask his next question.**

"**Uh…Heero?" The Japanese man jumped when Duo broke the silence. "I was kinda thinking that we could…you know each other better." He nervously toyed with his key chain as he waited for Heero to laugh at him.**

** "Um…Ok." Heero said hesitantly. "Is this such a good idea? Duo might ask something about my past and there's nothing pretty about that. What if he left cuz of his dark history?'**

** "Heero," Duo's soft voice cut through his mental ramblings making his snap up at the sound. "You don't have to answer anything that makes you feel uncomfortable. We have plenty of time to get to know each other first. Besides I didn't ask you to dinner so I could interrogate you." He watched Heero intently making sure that he was relaxing with the idea. Heero nodded and Duo smiled. "Ok 'Ro question number one. What is your favorite color?" Heero was genuinely surprised at how simple the question was. He had been afraid that Duo was going to ask him what his dreams were or what he had liked to do as a kid. Duo laughed thinking Heero looked like he had just seen a lime polka dotted lama jump over the hood of the car. "Well?"**

** "Black I guess. It goes with anything and it comes in handy for the stealth missions." 'Wait a minute! Did I just say missions? Why am I talking about that? I am such an idiot!' He thought biting his lower lip.**

** "I know what you mean! I hate trying to find matching clothes in the morning. It doesn't help when you wake up ten minutes before you're supposed to be at work." Heero let out the breath he had been holding. This dating stuff was a lot harder than he had thought. "So what's your fave movie 'Ro?"**

** "Well…I don't really know."**

** "Yeah there are so many good ones to choose from."**

** "No, what I meant was…I don't watch movies. I'm usually either at work or doing physical training to stay in shape."**

** Duo's jaw hit the floor and continued down into the ninth sphere of Hades. 'How in the world could someone not watch any movies?' It just didn't seem possible. Heero bit his lip noticing that he had said something really stupid. Did those tactical movies that Dr. J made him watch count?**

** "That's impossible!" Hades had finally gotten tired of the giant chin that had fallen right into his dinner and pushed it back up for his shinigami. If it had been anyone else he probably would have cut it off. Heero bit his lip harder knowing that Duo was going to make some kind of sarcastic comment. "Heero Yuy, I am commanding you to be at my apartment tomorrow as soon as you get off work."**

** Heero looked at Duo completely stunned. "You know 'Ro, fish impersonations don't become you at all." Heero just shook his head trying to figure out how Duo hadn't gotten fed up with him yet. He also had the impression that Duo had some kind of a trick up his sleeve. "I will be introducing you to the wide world of movies. Do you want to bring the popcorn?"**

** "What's that?"**

** "Oh man…this is gonna be interesting." Duo rubbed his face and looked at his watch. It was after seven already? Where did all the time go? "Crap. Heero we'd better get in there!" He quickly climbed out of the car and walked around to open the passenger door for Heero. He climbed out and Duo shut the door and locked it.**

** Heero admired the interior of the building as they waited for the hostess to arrive. It had an English dinning room feel to it. The walls were crème colored and the furniture was polished cherry wood. The china on the tables gleamed with an almost holy shine that was the product of the huge crystal chandelier that hung in the middle of the room sparkling gleefully.**

** "Hello. Do you have reservations tonight gentlemen?" The hostess asked as she checked the reservation list.**

** "Yes we do. Maxwell party of two." Duo told her.**

** "Ah yes, welcome to the Winston. If you'll follow me I'll take you to your seats." She walked through the main dinning room and took them to a smaller side dinning room that wasn't lit as brightly as the main room. The lights resembled the soft glow of candles. She stopped at a table that was in the back and waited for them to be seated and then handed them their menus. "Your waitress will be with you in a moment. Please, enjoy your meal."**

** Seconds later a short brunette arrived and announced that her name was Cindy and that she would be their waitress forthe night. **

** "So what can I get you gentlemen to drink?"**

** "Well I would just like to have an ice tea with lemon please." Duo said automatically. What was life without tea?**

** "And for you sir?"**

** "Just ice water please." He tried not to drink anything that had artificial sweetener in it.**

** "Would you like any appetizers before your meal?" **

** "Heero? Do you want anything?" Duo asked. Heero just shook his head no.**

** "Ok I'll get your drinks and be back in a moment to take your orders." She turned around and waltzed out of the room. 'This is going to be a good night. Two seriously hot guys and I get to wait on them! Oh Melinda is going to be soooo jealous.' **

** After she left Heero opened his menu and almost had an aneurysm. There was nothing on the menu below thirty dollars. And those were APPETIZERS! He didn't eat out very much but when he did it never coasted more than ten. He cautiously peered over his menu to see how Duo was reacting. The other man was just looking calmly at his menu like he was taking a walk through the park.**

** "Duo," he whispered. "This is way too expensive." **

** Duo looked up and saw the worry Heero felt written in those beautiful cobalt blue eyes. "Don't worry about it. I have more than enough for us to eat here all month if we wanted to. I just wanted to do something special for you." **

** He reached across the table and took Heero's hand in his. He was surprised to see how much smaller they were than his own. Heero's hands were small true, but he knew how much power was contained in them. His own hands looked delicate with long fingers that looked as if they should belong to an artist or a pianist, not a soldier. When he looked back up Heero was watching him with a confused look in his eyes. **

"**What is it?" Duo asked.**

"**So this is what it feels like when someone holds your hand?" Heero asked making sure that what he was actually seeing was real. How could it feel so good just to hold someone's hand? Duo smiled at him, he was so innocent it was like being a teenager again and having your first kiss.**

"**Really Heero don't worry about the money." "And if you think it's cuz you aren't worth it you're wrong," he added when he saw Heero start to protest. Duo held his hand a moment longer and then squeezed it before reluctantly letting it go. "So go ahead and get whatever you want."**

** He picked his menu back up as the waitress came bouncing back with their drinks on her tray. "So have you made your choices?"**

"**I think I have. I would like the cheese stuffed shells and a salad on the side with extra ranch. Marinara sauce on those shells please, not meat." He handed his menu to the waitress and looked to Heero. "Are you ready?"**

"**Yeah. I'll just have the same thing. And the salad also with extra ranch please." He said handing over his menu.**

"**Ok, I'll be back in a while with your food," she said and then departed to turn in their orders and gloat.**

"**Heero you didn't have to get the same thing as me just because of my preferences."**

"**Your…preferences?" 'What does that mean? Does he mean…?'**

"**Yeah, you know, cuz I'm a vegetarian," Duo told him.**

"**I never knew you were a vegetarian. I just hadn't decided what I wanted and that sounded good." Heero's lip twitched into a smirk as an idea dawned on him like it had fallen from the sky and conked him right in the noodle. "So you really are a vegetarian? Is that why you're so skinny?" He watched with an impish gleam in his eyes as Duo spluttered for words.**

"**Skinny? I'll have you know that I'm all muscle and I could take you Mr. Perfect Soldier!" He said trying to defend himself.**

"**Is that so? You think you could take me?"**

"**Yeah, any day any time. In fact, why don't we do it after dinner?" He smiled as an idea started to form out of that deviously twisted mind. "And the one who wins…gets a prize."**

"**What kind of prize?" Heero asked, perking up like a panther that hears a rabbit in the bushes.**

"**How about whatever the winner wants. Sound good to you?" Duo stuck out his hand for Heero to shake on it.**

"**Deal," they both said at the same time, shaking hands to seal the bet.**

** They talked a little while longer about what they liked to do and what they didn't. Heero's dislikes mainly centered on how Relena couldn't seem to detach her slimy tentacles from him long enough to blow her own nose. Their food arrived and they were too busy eating to do much talking. As the silence wore on Heero began to fidget. It wasn't so much the silence that was making him nervous this time. Duo had a tendency to make him feel comfortable and relaxed. This was more of an inner problem. There had been that one little question nagging him all day. Finally he put down his fork and looked up at the man across from him.**

"**Duo, can I ask you something?"**

"**Sure Heero, shoot."**

"**I've just been wondering…is this…well…is it a date?" He looked down at the table suddenly finding the lace tablecloth the most interesting thing since laptops. **

"**Well Heero…"**

'**Oh no here it comes. He's gonna tell me he just wanted to ask me for help on some project or other. Or that he just wanted to get to know me as a friend. How could I be so stupid, he's a Christian of course this wouldn't be a date.'**

"**I was hoping that you would think so."**

** Heero's head snapped up in like a super stretched slinky being let go. "Really?" Duo nodded and took his hand again, rubbing the knuckles with his thumb. "But I…" he lowered his voice and leaned forward. "I thought that Christians couldn't be gay."**

** Duo smiled a little sadly. "Heero, I'm not a Christian." He lightly fingered the cross he always wore with his free hand. "I've worn this since I was a child, it's a reminder of…where I came from." He looked back up at Heero and smiled. "But now 'Ro, is not the time to talk about the past. If you're done with your salad I think we have a sparring match to get to." **

"**Wait, wait, wait. So does that mean…you ARE gay?" **

** Duo laughed and put a tip on the table for the waitress. "Yes Heero, I am a proud, flaming, homosexual. And you have long been the object of my affections." **

** He gave the Japanese man a sly wink. Heero was obviously still assimilating the last bit of information because he was now working on his owl impersonations by the way his eyes seemed to be the size of saucers. "If you're done slow poke we could blow this joint and go have that match. I mean I am anxious to get my prize." As he sauntered towards the cash register Heero came back to the real world.**

** "Like hell! Everyone knows I'm the best fighter at the Preventers!"**

** "Wow 'Ro. You know if you add a few injustices in there you would sound just like Fei."**

** Reaching the car Duo slid into his seat before Heero could kick his ass for the last comment. Sliding in beside him Heero gave him his best death glare. "You are so gonna get it for that last one."**

** "Yeah, yeah. Talk is cheap pal." Duo said teasingly.**

** This went on for the entire ride back to their building. As Duo parked Heero was unbuckling his seat belt and hopped out as soon as the car came to a stop. "Race you to your door." He said as he took off.**

** "No fair you bum!" Duo cried indignantly trying to catch up.**

** They reached the door at the same time but Duo was gasping for breath. Heero smirked as he watched him try to catch his breath. "See my work outs paid off." He himself hadn't broken a sweat. Since Duo couldn't say anything he settled for sticking his tongue out and unlocking his door. **

** As they walked in Heero looked around curiously. The walls were such a deep blue, they were almost purple, and the furniture was black leather. The kitchen counter and the top of the island table were some kind of black stone and the cabinets were the same dark blue as the walls. The appliances were all stainless steel including the pots and pans hanging next to the stove.**

** "Go ahead and make yourself at home. I'm going to change into some workout clothes." Heero looked around as he exited to the hallway. Looking around he saw the entertainment center was loaded with DVD's and old bulky looking things that looked like they were probably back when manufacturers still actually used film. As he walked toward the couch something off towards the back of the room caught his eye. He walked back to the large bookcase and stood in awe. There were so many books there. He had never taken the American for someone that would like to read. Most of the books were literary classics but another good portion was also fiction. Picking up a copy of Poe's best works he wondered how much else there was to Duo that he didn't know.**

** "I made it my personal mission when I lived in the streets on L2 to be well educated," Duo said over Heero's shoulder when he saw what he was looking at. Heero spun around and tripped on Duo's foot, not realizing how close they were. Only Duo's reflexes saved them both a fall. His breath caught in his throat when he found those eyes he had fantasized about for so long mere inches from his own. He pushed Heero back and cleared his throat. He had to get some distance between them before he did anything rash. Heero was still all too new to this and he wanted so much more than just a fling with the Japanese man. He had to take this slow. **

** After regaining his balance Heero noticed what Duo had changed into. He was wearing a tight black tank top that showed off his well-defined chest, slim torso, and washboard abs. He also wore a pair of loose black sweat pants. Looking at himself he wondered what he could do for workout clothes.**

** "Oh yeah I forgot, here." He said throwing another pair of sweats and a tank top to him. After Heero left Duo sighed and scratched the back of his head. 'Damn it, if being that close to him had screwed me up that much what is fighting him gonna do?' Heero came back a few minutes later which gave Duo a chance to get interesting thoughts of the sexy ex-wing pilot out of his delinquent mind. **

** "So where are we supposed to do this? There doesn't look like we have enough room anywhere." Heero commented looking around.**

** "Right here. We just need to move the furniture against the wall and there will be plenty of room."**

** He shrugged and started to push the armchair against the wall. "Whatever you say."**

** After everything had been moved they started to stretch out. 'This is gonna be hard. I mean I'm really gonna have to work to make sure I win this.' 'Then again' Duo thought with a glance at Heero 'it could be interesting to see what he would choose as a prize.' 'Uh! I have to stay focused if I keep thinking like this he's gonna wipe the floor with me.'**

** They both finished their pre fight aerobics and stood facing each other. Heero started bouncing on the balls of his feet and rolling his neck out. Duo slowly sunk into an 'L' stance and then they were circling each other. Heero mentally sized Duo up while throwing a few feigns. The braided man was fast, and he moved with a fluid grace that showed as his muscles rippled under his skin. His movements were almost cat like and the braid twitching at his waist did nothing to dispel that image. Duo suddenly threw a roundhouse kick that he just barely managed to block. Heero stopped thinking and put up his guard. Duo was an ex-gundam pilot too and he knew how to fight. This wasn't going to be as easy as he thought. Should be interesting. They circled each other and traded blows for almost an hour. The living room was lost in a blur of kicks, punches, and sweeps. Neither one of them showed any signs of which was winning and sweat poured down both of them making their clothes stick to their bodies. Suddenly Heero saw an opening in Duo's defense as he the American was throwing a kick. Unfortunately sweat was pouring into his eyes and he miscalculated his timing. When he slid in he only managed to get their limbs tangled. As Duo fell backwards he desperately sought for something to catch himself on. He grabbed Heero's shirt but he had just barely kept his own balance as it was; so they both went tumbling to the floor. Heero landed on top of Duo with an 'oomph' as they hit. Both of them stared at each other frozen and gasping for air. Duo could feel Heero's toned body pressed flush against his own. Heero finally comprehended what position they were in and pushed himself up to get off of the man that was stirring so many new feelings up inside of him. He wasn't stupid he knew what happened when you were attracted to someone but there was something else. When he was close to Duo he was so warm inside, he felt at peace. Duo grabbed the retreating Japanese around the waist and pulled him back down.**

** "Don't get up yet, please?" He asked softly. "I've wanted to be like this with you since we were in the war." He buried his head in that sweat slicked burning shoulder he had been admiring during the match.**

** Heero sucked in a breath when he realized what Duo was saying. "You've liked me for that long? Why didn't you come to me then?"**

** "Well you weren't the easiest person to approach back then. I was afraid I would be rejected if I told you. It was like Wu said, you were always yelling at me calling me 'baka' or 'moron'. I never thought you would like a chatter box, screw up like me." Heero knew this was hard for Duo to say considering the other man was leaving nail marks on his back from where he was holding him so tight. **

** He caressed Duo's cheek trying to calm him down. 'How could I have been so stupid? I could have drove him away before we got started.' Heero thought as he watched the beautiful violet eyed wonder that was under him. Duo's eyes fluttered closed as he turned his head into the touch. 'Why did I ever try to push him away? I could have had him so long ago and I didn't take the chance? I must be completely crazy!' It was amazing that Duo was giving such a response to that simple touch. **

** Opening his eyes, Duo looked up into Heero's with a bright hopeful expression written in them. Slowly he reached up and ran his hand through Heero's still sweat damp locks of silky chocolate hair. Gently he drew the sexy Asian's head toward his. "Well Hee-chan, you ended up on top so I guess you win. What do you want for your prize?" Duo's voice had deepened and was husky and his eyes were half lidded revealing his eyes had deepened with his voice to a dark purple like midnight. Their faces were mere inches apart now Heero could feel their breathes mingling and ghosting across his lips.**

** There was only one thing in Heero's mind. Those beautiful violet eyes and those lush looking lips had taken over his mind. "You Duo. I want you." And then he closed the distance that kept him from experiencing just how soft those lips were. The kiss was light at first but neither of them could hold back the overwhelming flood of emotions that rose up in them like a great tsunami. It quickly turned into a much more heated, explorative kiss. Duo's tongue darted across Heero's silently asking permission to taste the other man. Heero parted his lips and moaned as Duo slid in and caressed his tongue with his own. Duo's taste was an indescribable elixir that burned through his veins and made his blood boil. One of Duo's hands slid from Heero's hair and grazed down his back, feeling the hard muscles that were covered by the tank top he had lent him. Heero released Duo's lips to explore the rest of him. His mouth left a trail of hot kisses down Duo's exposed neck.**

** Duo was reduced to a mass of quivering pleasure drunk nerves. Heero's mouth was doing such amazing things that all he could do was moan. It was as if a forest fire were building in him with all of the little fires converging from those kisses. He gripped the bottom of Heero's tank top and pulled up so he could feel the skin that was under it. **

** Heero pulled his mouth away long enough to pull the shirt up and over his head before he tossed it across the room and resumed attacking that long creamy neck. He slid his hands under Duo's shirt and ran calloused hands up that slim torso that he had been unable to stop looking at during the entire fight. He drug his hands back down over the hard sexy abs, tracing the rises and depressions between them reverently. It was all so new but he wanted more. 'Damn it! This shirt is between us; I want to feel more of him. Oh Duo, how are able to drive me so nuts?' He grabbed the bottom of Duo's shirt and pulled it off, sending it flying across the room to join his. **

** Duo gasped as he felt Heero's heated skin meet his own. The hand he had on Heero's back slid lower to brush the skin that met the top of his pants. 'He's so close; I've imagined this for so long. Please don't let it be a dream.' "Oh, Heero."**

** Heero kissed down the neck of the moaning God under him for the tenth time, but this time he moved lower kissing the spot where his shoulder and neck joined.**

"**Heero! Gods yes." **

** This response spurred him on and he growled and grazed his teeth across the same spot while his hands grabbed onto his waist and fiddled with waistband in Duo's sweats. He licked Duo's obvious sweet spot and shivered as he elicited more of those delicious noises ensuing from the braided man's mouth. His hand caressed up Duo's side to run over the slick muscles of his chest; lightly toying with a pert nipple as he continued attacking that spot; wanting to drive Duo as nuts as Duo drove him.**

**Heero caught his breath as he felt just how mad he was driving Duo. He froze looking down at the other man. 'What the hell am I thinking? Duo is going to think that I'm such an asshole. What's he gonna think of me when I'm acting like this on our first date?'**

** Duo felt Heero stiffen and looked up with hazy pleasure filled eyes. "What is it Hee-chan? Is something wrong?" It was hard to focus when he was still pressed tightly against the man who had haunted his dreams for so long.**

"**I…we shouldn't be doing this yet." Heero gasped out, desperately trying to regain his control. "I don't want you to think that I'm some kind of whore." **

** Duo softly caressed Heero's back trying to comfort him. "Heero I would never think that of you. Everything that you've been showing me is so real. I can see everything you feel in your eyes. You don't hide around me like you do everyone else. I feel so honored to be able to see the real you; unrestrained."**

** Heero buried his head in Duo's shoulder, still trying to calm his raging hormones. "What if I'm not good enough?" he murmured into the crook of the American's neck.**

"**I don't know how you could think that when you felt the proof of what you were doing to me," Duo said with a chuckle. "If you're uncomfortable we don't have to go any further," he offered still trying to calm him.**

** He couldn't think straight. Duo's body was still pressed against him and the 'proof' he had been talking of was firmly pressed against his thigh. It was making his breath quicken again so he pulled himself slightly away from the source of the distraction. He looked down into those passion filled orbs and found something there that he wasn't able to identify. "Do you want to keep going Duo, I…I mean I caused you so much pain during the war, I want to make it up to you." Heero said softly looking away from Duo and that strange light in his eyes. **

"**Gods Heero! I've wanted you since the first time I saw you, but I'm not going to make love to you if you're not ready." He smiled as he brushed his knuckles down the side of Heero's face. "I've waited this long as it is, a little while longer won't kill me." He was willing to wait forever if that's what Heero needed, he was happy just being with the other man like this.**

"**Why? Why do you want me?" Heero asked completely confused. "I was always mean to you and I said so many things that hurt you. Why would you still want me after that?"**

"**Because Heero, you were always there to save my ass. During missions, when I was hurt, when I just needed someone to listen to me babble. You were always there and you made me strong enough to survive the war," Duo said in a rush of emotion. "And most of all…" he lowered his voice and spoke the next part a little hesitantly. "I'm willing to wait because…" He paused once more to gather his courage for what he had to say next.**

"**I'm willing to wait for you because I love you."**

** That's it for chapter three folks. Thanks for waiting on me to get it out, I know it's been a while but life is just agreeing to give me the time I need to write these and post them for you. I'll try to get the next chapter up soon but I have a show to do at school the 11th and 12th so I'm not making promises. Ok I'm gonna get to sleep cuz it's about 2:30 in the morning and I have work to do tomorrow. Take care all and please review and tell me what you think. Lots of luvins!**

**RejectedGoddess**


	4. Annoying Blondes and Answering Machines

**Chapter 4: Annoying Blondes and Answering Machines**

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or any of the characters therein. I'm sure that anyone reading this though would love to say that the characters are theirs.

**I want to thank everyone who reviewed my last chapter and I hope you love this one just as much. I don't want to give anyone a hint about the chapter so you'll just have to read and find out. So on with the fic!**

**(x)X(x)**

**"I-you-you love me?" Heero stuttered as his liquefied brain tried desperately to grasp to meaning of those simple words.**

**Duo smiled seeing the look of happiness mixed with confusion in Heero's eyes. He wanted to see that happiness forever but he could do without the confusion. He brought his had up to that gorgeous face and brushed his knuckles over a smooth tanned cheek.**

**"Duo!"**

**Heero rolled off Duo and they both jumped to their feet at the sound of the door opening and a cheery voice that came with it. Quatre walked into the room with a paper bag and a bright smile.**

**"Hey Heero, you here to play too?" Quatre asked when he noticed Duo wasn't alone. His grin grew wider, if that were possible, when he noticed the stoic Japanese blush. The state of undress the two shared didn't seem to go unnoticed by him either.**

**"Um Quat, I thought I told you that I couldn't play tonight 'cuz I was busy."**

**"Hmm…no I don't remember that." He said this as he putting the contents of the bag he had carried in on the table. "So are we gonna play in the living room or here in the kitchen? Trowa's on his way up with the jello shots."**

**Duo sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Obviously the blond wasn't taking the hint.**

**"It's alright Duo, I was just leaving. I have work in the morning anyway."**

**"Aww Heero, I was hoping you'd stay. Maybe you'd actually be able to beat the cockiness out of this braided ass."**

**"No thanks, I'm just gonna go change and get going."**

**As he went to the bathroom, Quatre gave Duo a knowing look.**

**Ok Duo, what's going on? First he starts talking to you out of nowhere and now he's at your apartment in your clothes and half undressed. If I didn't know better I'd think something was going on between you two." **

**Duo scratched the back of his head and mumbled something Quatre didn't quite catch. "I'm sorry what was that?"**

**"I said I'm not sure what's going on but I really do like him." Right then Heero walked back into the room.**

**"I'm going now," he said walking toward the door.**

**"Wait!" Heero and Quatre both looked at Duo, surprised at his sudden out burst. Heero blushed and smiled when he looked down to see Duo's slim had wrapped around his wrist. "Um…you're still coming over tomorrow, right?" Heero's smile grew wider when he saw the hope that made Duo's violet eyes glow like twin jewels.**

**"Hai Duo, I'll be here." He turned around and walked out the door.**

**Once Quatre could no longer hear the soft footsteps fading down the hallway he sunk onto one of the kitchen stools. "Duo…I'm really happy that you two are hooking up but…"**

**"But what?" Duo asked hotly, feeling indignation rise into his throat from a burning pit that resided somewhere in his stomach. He was shocked at his own temper, this was a feeling of protectiveness he hadn't even realized he had for the man he had loved secretly for so long.**

**Quatre sat back at the vehement tone that was coming from his best friend. He had heard Duo use it on other people but it had never been directed at him. "It's just that this is all new for him. He's never actually been in a relationship. I don't want to see him get hurt."**

**"You think I want to hurt him? You think I want to drive him away after wanting him for so long? Quat you know that I've liked him since the war and it's taken me until now to grow the balls to make a move. Why would I want to hurt him now?"**

**"I didn't say that you wanted to intentionally hurt him, but it might happen accidentally. You're both my friends and I just don't want to see either of you get hurt. So maybe you should try to go slow that way he has time to adjust to the more…serious matters…of a relationship."**

**Duo turned away to hide his blush. Damn Quatre and his Sense. With the emotions that had been swirling through him and Heero both the sensitive blond probably hadn't had too much of a problem picking up on what had been occurring just before he had walked in. 'Was I really that close to making love with Heero? Everything just happened so fast, but he was in my arms and I didn't want to let him go again. Ever.'**

**Sighing Duo turned back to Quatre as Trowa walked in. "Look I'm gonna get a shower, you guys can go ahead and set up. I should be out by the time everyone else gets here."**

**(x)X(x)**

**Trowa and Quatre worked for a few minutes in silence as the small Arabian tried to get a grip on the torrent of thought rushing through his brain. He wanted Heero and Duo to be happy, he really did. The idea that if something went wrong the 'Perfect Soldier' might not be able to handle it, terrified him more than the events of the war had. His Sense let him know just how strongly Heero felt about his best friend. He could feel a strong love that was blooming in him and was flourishing more each day. Unfortunately that was also accompanied by a world of confusion, and so much more that cloaked the feeling that was lost in a swirling vortex of emotion.**

**Sighing, Quatre plopped down onto the stool again and rubbed a hand over his face. Trowa knelt down in front of him and took his hand.**

**"Alright little one, what's got you so worked up?" The corner of his mouth twitched into a small frown. There weren't many times he could count when he had seen his blond lover so worried. He didn't like it one bit.**

**"I'm just concerned about how quickly things have grown between Duo and Heero. He's never been in a relationship and Duo has wanted this for so long; I'm just afraid that he might rush into it and Heero won't know it might be too early."**

**"Quatre, we weren't exactly slow in our relationship you know. We turned out just fine."**

**"Yes I know but we both knew there could be consequences and that we were willing to risk it. The thing is though; we weren't trained as severely as Heero was. His emotions were no existent; the only thing that mattered was the mission. We weren't trained to be machines." The frightened look in Quatre's eyes tore at Trowa's heart.**

**He reached up and gently caressed his lover's face and brushed his messy blond bangs away from those clear blue eyes he could stare into all day.**

**"I know you want to protect your friends, but this is something they need to decide together. Duo will be smart; he doesn't want to screw up this chance he has been waiting for so long."**

**Quatre closed his eyes his eyes and rested his forehead against Trowa's. "You're right love, I'll try not to interfere again."**

**Raising his other hand to Quatre's face, he pulled the blond to him and captured those pouting rosy lips in a soft comforting kiss. After a few minutes he slowly pulled back and smiled at the content look on that angelic face he loved so much.**

**"Come little one, we need to finish setting up before the others arrive."**

**  
(x)X(x)**

**Duo leaned forward in the shower with his hands bracing him against the wall. His head was bowed almost to his chest, letting the spray of hot water hit his back and ease the tension there. 'Why did I let it go that far? What if he thinks that I'm some kind of animal that can't control itself? Of that I'm just using him?' He thought back to the events of the night. The memory of how good Heero had felt in his arms and his hot skin pressed against his own made him groan. He put his head against the cool tile of the wall to calm him down and sort his thoughts. 'I want him so bad. Every little thing he does drives me insane.' His blood started to heat as he remembered how their bodies had continually grazed each other during their sparring match. Then he remembered the way Heero's eyes had lit up the room when Duo had said he loved him. 'Gods, those beautiful eyes; have they ever glowed like that for anyone else?' A growl escaped from somewhere deep inside him and rumbled up through his chest and into his throat. The thought of another person receiving that look brought out the same possessiveness that he had felt earlier. Turning off the water, he promised himself that would never happen. Now that he had his Perfect Soldier, he was never letting go.**

**(x)X(x)**

**Dropping his coat on the chair, Heero sighed, letting out the breath he had been holding since exiting Duo's apartment. The whole night had just been one big shock; the dinner and then the bet. The biggest amazement by far had been what had occurred after their sparring match.**

**He leaned against the door and gently put his fingers to the lips Duo had been ravishing just a short while ago. A simple kiss or touch from that amazing American was able to edict feelings he had never knew existed. 'Is this what love is? We didn't even get to anything serious and it felt like angels were caressing me with their wings. But what would have happened if Quatre hadn't walked in? Would we have had sex or would I have said something stupid and ruined it all?' **

**With that last thought he didn't know if he wanted to strangle the blond or kiss him. He decided not to because of a certain cinnamon banged ex-pilot that would most likely beat him to a pulp if he did either.**

**As he pushed away from the door and walked toward his bedroom, he smiled at the next memory that surfaced. Duo had said exactly what he had doubted could ever happen; he loved him. Even though he had been trained to be a machine that couldn't feel, he still loved him.**

**He was passing through the living room when he noticed that annoying flashing light on the answering machine that indicated he had a message. Since there was only one he decided he would listen to it. 'One of the other pilots probably just called to see if I wanted to play cards tonight.'**

**He pressed the play button and waited impatiently for it to get to the actual message; he was sorry when it did. As he listened to the sickeningly sweet voice spewing from the speaker he was tempted to throw the thrice-damned contraption out of his twelfth floor window. That voice could only belong to one person – Relena Peacecraft. The message alone could have made him hurl. It was an invitation to dinner at her mansion with a promise of a 'special dessert' after.**

**He practically broke the delete button as he pushed it. Had the stupid woman not gotten the point? Why after so many blatant refusals did she still plague him? Why? He stalked into his room and threw himself onto his bed. He stared at the ceiling for a while trying to cool down. He would not let that demented she-demon ruin his night. **

**Finally he rose from the bed and changed into a pair of boxers and a tank top. What he needed now was some sleep and he wasn't getting it by bitching to himself about a wako blonde that wouldn't get a clue.**

**As he was drifting off to sleep a pleasant thought crossed his mind. Now that he knew how Duo felt, they could give her a little show. Just maybe that would be enough to shock her into accepting the truth. For the first time in his life, Heero slipped into unconsciousness with a smile on his face.**

**(x)X(x)**

**By the time Duo had gotten out of the shower and dried his hair everyone else had arrived for their weekly card game. Wufei had brought a card table and set it up in the living room since the furniture was still pushed up against the walls. There were chips and drinks scattered all over it, obviously they hadn't wanted to wait on him. As Duo took his usual place between Quatre and Milliardo, they all went through casual greetings while Trowa started to deal.**

**"So Duo, are you going to get Heero to come next time?" Quatre asked with a sly glance at the blushing American.**

**"It…uh…depends on if he wants to."**

**"Well I'm sure if you're here he'll want to come. Besides, all of us know he can't refuse a challenge so he'll come," Trieze commented as he moved his cards around in his hand.**

**Duo just shook his head in exasperation knowing that his boss was right.**

**(x)X(x)**

**Three trays of jello shots and several hours later, the game was finally winding down; Quatre was passed out on the table, Trieze and Milliardo were trying to suck each other's faces off, Wufei was ranting about the injustice of the cards he kept getting dealt, and Trowa was blatantly laughing at him. This was exactly why Duo always won at these get-togethers. It wasn't that he was an amazing card player, but could simply hold his liquor better than the rest of them.**

**Shaking his head he rose and tossed his cards onto the table. He just didn't feel like joining in the festivities tonight. Quatre woke as he heard Duo's chair being pushed back from the table. Looking up in a sleepy, drunken haze he saw Duo walking away.**

**"Now Duo, don't be…sneekin off to…get all kissy kissy with Heero. He needs his rest for t'morrow." That speech must have been too much for him because his head dropped back onto the table and all that could be heard from him was a soft snore. Trowa had watched the whole thing and started snickering when his lover's head fell like a sack of bricks. **

**Duo thought that being hit by a sack of bricks was exactly how they were all going to feel in the morning. He turned away and walked toward his room, leaving the rest of them to fall asleep where they would. He rubbed a hand over his tired face as he shut the door behind him and let himself sink into the comfortable, familiar feel of his bedroom.**

**He loved Quatre, the blond was his best friend, but sometimes when he was trying to help all he wanted to do was kill the emphatic buddy. Duo was supposed to be the one that was always happy, which was scary because the Arabian was hardly seen without a smile that could rival the sun for intensity. As he flung himself onto his bed a voice in the back of his head that sounded suspiciously like Quatre started to berate him for wishing Heero was with him.**

**Blonds, they could be so annoying.**

**(x)X(x)**

**Okay, that's all for this chapter my faithful readers. Review and let me know what you think. Good or bad. I need some constructive criticism here. On a happy note one of my friends thinks my writing is progressively getting better with each chapter. Does anyone agree? Yes? No? Well I won't know unless you review now will I? MUWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. The evil plot is revealed. Ok I need to get this posted because it's about 1:30am right now, and I'm tired as mess. Later everyone.**

**RejectedGoddess**


	5. Author

**Author's Note**

**I would just like to inform everyone that I'm finally done with theatre for the rest of the school year so I will have a little more time to work on getting chapters written and posted quicker. Since I'm not going to my junior prom tonight I'll probably sit at home and work on chapter 5 for all of my loyal fans out there. -Blows kisses- I love you all -****brushes a tear away- Lol. But seriously, thanks to all of the people that have taken the time to review my story. It's really given me the necessary drive to keep writing. I've also got a few ideas for some short stories that I might start on but I want to get at least a few more chaps done for this particular story. Ok I've wasted enough of your time so I'm gonna boogie. Besides I need to go to my next period class. Later!**

**RejectedGoddess**


	6. Chapter 5: Delusions

**CHAPTER 5: Delusions **

Heero rolled over and tried unsuccessfully to hit the snooze button on his alarm. He finally gave up and threw the annoyance across the room, which gave a satisfying thwack as it hit the wall. Goal achieved, he rolled back over and closed his eyes. He knew he had to go to work but today was just one of those days.

Taking a deep breath he tried to drift back into that wonderful dream he had been having before the alarm had ruined it. He remembered how it had felt laying in warm sand with a tropical sun glaring down on him in Duo's embrace. Slowly he drifted back into sleep and the awaiting fantasy.

(x)X(x)

The lock sprang open easily, a pleasant reprieve after the difficult security system that had to be disarmed first. The next step would be the real trick though.

Remembering the ground plan, the intruder swung the door open and all that could be seen was their shadow flitting through the rooms; as it passed through the hallway it slowed to a creep. The bedroom door was slightly ajar so there would be no added risk the turning of the handle would make.

The shadow pulled a tube from its belt and slipped into the room. In its haste to get the job done it completely over looked the alarm that had been thrown across the room and tripped. The figure fell forwards and landed on the bed jolting the bed's occupant from a peaceful sleep. The intruder scrambled to find the tube it had lost in the fall. Before he could get his bearings the shadow plunged the syringe into his arm.

(x)X(x)

Everything was getting had been coming back to him; he was in that warm place in that amazing dream when a thump beside him on the bed startled him back to reality. A pinch on his arm was the only warning he had before the world started to fade.

(x)X(x)

Sighing, Dorothy pulled off her black ski mask and took her cell phone from a pouch on her belt. She punched in a number and waited for the other person to answer. "Yeah, it's me. The target has been neutralized, bring in the reconnaissance team so we can get the hell out of here."

(x)X(x)

Groaning and rolling over in bed, Duo tried to blindly find the phone that had pulled him from sleep. Finally grabbing what he thought might be a phone; he put it to his ear. "Hello?" A pause went by and all he heard was a faint voice one the other end. "You're gonna have to speak up, I can't hear you."

He pulled the phone away from his ear to check the volume level and was chagrined to find that he had it upside down. Turning it the right way he scratched his head. " Sorry bout that, Duo here."

"Duo, this is Lady Une at Preventers, does Heero happen to be with you by any chance?"

"What? No he went home last night, he should be at work by now."

"That's why I'm calling you. He hasn't showed up and there's no answer at his apartment."

Right then the door to Duo's room burst open and a blur of blond hair came to a stop beside his bed. Quatre was trying to get something out between gasps for air.

"Whoa, slow down Q. What's wrong?" He sat up worried at why his small friend seemed so panicked.

"I…was going down…to my car…when I went passed Heero's apartment…I noticed the door was open. Heero would never leave his door open when he left so I went in and he was gone; I found this on his bed."

Quatre handed over the syringe he had found and watched as his friend went whiter than snow. Quatre picked up the phone when Duo's limp hand dropped it to the floor. "Hello? Yes, it's Quatre Lady Une. I think I know why Heero isn't there. I believe he's been kidnapped."

(x)X(x)

An hour later they were all gathered in the conference hall of the Preventer's headquarters. Duo paced while he waited for the test results on the syringe they had found to come back.

'How could this happen?' Duo wondered. 'He's the perfect fucking soldier! Has he been letting his guard down because of me? I should have been there, this is all my fault.'

Duo spun around when a soft hand on his shoulder startled him from his mental anguish.

Quatre's soft blue eyes looked at him compassionately. "This isn't your fault Duo, you couldn't possibly have known this would happen."

Duo buried his face in his hands and leaned back against the conference table. "I have to get him back Q. I just have to."

(x)X(x)

Heero groaned as he came to. His head felt like an elephant carrying a rhino had done a full-length river dance on it. When he tried to roll over he found that his body was basically immobile. Looking at his hands and feet he realized that they were cuffed to something. Judging by the softness under him he figured it was a bed. Aww his captors were concerned about his comfort…how touching.

"I see you're awake, that's good. I was worried that the tranquilizer was too strong, even for you."

Heero blinked in the dim light trying to make out who was speaking to him. The voice seemed somewhat familiar but he couldn't place it. Further complicating things was the fact that the speaker was shrouded in shadow so it was impossible to tell who it was.

"Damaging what the mistress wants is not a good idea. She will be in later to…speak with you." As the shadowy figure glided down the hallway its disembodied voice floated back to him. "And I would advise against escape; those cuffs were made to hold even the Perfect Soldier."

After Heero could no longer hear their footsteps he started to test the strength of his bonds. Who would actually listen to someone that tells them not to try and escape? Unfortunately his captor was right, the metal hadn't even let out a creak. This was going to be harder than he had thought.

(x)X(x)

Duo sat in one of the cushiony leather conference chairs with his elbows on the mahogany table staring blankly down at it.

Quatre looked at Duo then gave Trowa a worried look. Trowa just shook his head signaling that he didn't know what to do. Quatre grabbed his arm and pulled him into the hallway, quietly shutting the doors behind him.

"I'm worried about him. If something happens to Heero I don't think he'll survive it."

"I'm sure Heero's fine, and if something happened I'm sure Duo is strong enough to pull through."

Quatre shook his head vehemently. "Trowa, he'll do something drastic. He'll either kill the person that did it or get himself killed trying."

"We can't be sure of the little one. I don't think he's capable of anything right now."

"Trowa you don't know him like I do. He's planning something already. Just think about how you would feel if this had happened to me. Wouldn't you be trying to get me back and to hell with everyone else?"

Trowa pulled his small blond lover close to him and shut his eyes. "I see your point love, we'll keep a close eye on him, okay?"

Quatre sighed and sank into the warm arms of his boyfriend. "Thank you Trowa."

(x)X(x)

About 20 minutes later Sally came in with the test results. "We've confirmed that it was Heero's DNA on the needle. The substance inside was a powerful tranquilizer that should be able to put a horse down for 12 hours. In this case it was enough to keep the Perfect Soldier out for a few hours. I suspect to give whoever did this enough time to transport him to a secure location and get him restrained."

Wufei let out a low whistle as he leaned back in his seat. "That much tranq just to knock him out? Something like that would probably kill the rest of us."

Duo looked around the room with hope bringing his dull eyes back to life. "So that means that whoever took him wanted him alive right?"

"Most likely. Now we just need to come up with some suspects." Everyone sat quietly thinking of who Heero might have made enemies of when Duo jumped up so suddenly he almost tipped his chair over.

"It was Relena."

Quatre looked at him worriedly. "Duo are you sure? You just can't go and accuse someone of her rank without proof."

Duo shook his head violently making his braid fly out and snap as he did so making the impression of a whip. "No Q, I know it was her. The other night at the banquet, she was all over him and when he told her he was gay she got pissed. You were all there; you know that she was embarrassed in front of everyone in the congress. She threatened him but neither of us ever expected her to carry it out. After that she was so quiet that we thought she had finally gotten the point."

Trieze stood and walked over towards his lover. "Unfortunately it isn't enough proof to get a search warrant." Milliardo looked up to his cinnamon haired lover and gave him a wink. "But we could make a personal visit to my lovely sister and if we happen to find something while getting lost on the way to the bathroom…" He shrugged nonchalantly "well that could be another story."

Everyone grinned at him and Duo let out a nervous breath. "Thanks guys I owe you big time."

Quatre nodded as well. "Good thinking, if you find anything call us immediately."

(x)X(x)

Duo paced around his apartment impatiently waiting for Milliardo and Trieze to call with a report. 'What the hell is taking those two so long?' 'Maybe Relena caught on and got them out before they could find anything.' The ringing of the phone interrupted his thoughts. Spinning around he dove for it so he could hear what happened first.

"Hello?" Milliardo gave Trieze a sympathetic look; the anxiety in Duo's voice was clear to everyone.

"We're out. We didn't find anything but she was acting suspicious, she was nervous the whole time we were there. It was like she had something private to take care of and couldn't get us out of there fast enough." "She is definitely up to something, but we can't be sure if it involves Heero." Milliardo reported summarily. "We have to find a way to get back in there and do a more thorough search. Until then we all need to lay low so we don't spook her into moving him. If we're going to find him this is our best chance, she'll feel confident and safe in her own home."

"Alright I understand. We'll be in touch." Duo hung up the phone and turned around to tell them what was going on. "They said that she was acting suspicious and that we need to get in and do a more widespread search."

Quatre's aqua eyes pierced into Duo speculatively. "What else did he say Duo?"

Duo sighed realizing he wasn't going to be able to fool them into action. "He said we should lay low while they figure out how to get back in."

"I thought so." Quatre uncrossed his arms and walked over to the chair Duo had collapsed into when he realized he wasn't going anywhere. Sitting on the arm of it he put his arm around his dejected friend's shoulders comfortingly. "Don't worry, we'll find him. Everything will be fine."

"I know we'll get him back, I won't quit till we have. The thing that scares me is what that psycho bitch is doing to him while we're searching."

(x)X(x)

It had been hours since anyone had checked on him and he couldn't see any cameras in the room. Whoever had him was confident that he wouldn't escape. The cuffs wouldn't give and the bed frame he was attached to seemed just as strong. 'Maybe I can trick whoever it is into uncuffing me.' His thoughts were disturbed by soft footsteps approaching the room he was in.

"I apologize for keeping you waiting, I was…detained by unexpected guests."

'That voice!' Heero's brain clamored and alarm. 'It can't be.' It was the only sound in the world that could make his stomach revolt and haunt his nightmares. "Relena" he spat the name out like venom.

"Come now Heero, is that the way to speak to someone that loves you?" she asked as she glided towards the bed. She was completely visible now and he wished she wasn't. She was dressed in a frilly pink see through negligee and matching underwear. The sight would have been enough to make him vomit but he hadn't eaten at all so he settled for turning his head away from the hideous sight.

"You don't love me, you're just pissed that I'm the only person to ever refuse your passes. If you loved me you wouldn't have drugged me, kidnapped me, and cuffed me to a bed."

"Heero, how was I supposed to show you how much I loved you when you never gave me the chance? This was the only way I could make you see."

"Never gave you the chance? For the love of the Gods! I've told you countless times that I'm gay! Women don't turn me on Relena, I couldn't have given you a chance even if I'd wanted to!"

Relena let out a low guttural growl as she climbed over his body and straddled him. "I'm tired of your lies Heero and I will have the truth. You've just deluded yourself into believing you're gay so that you'll feel like you fit in with that group of queers you call friends!" She leaned down and licked his ear as her hands ran over his chest. "Don't worry," she whispered, "I'll make you better in no time."

(x)X(x)

Okay that's all for this chapter everyone! Sorry it took so long to post but I've been super busy and I just got back from vacation yesterday. Hope it was worth the wait for all of you that reviewed. Those of you that read this and haven't reviewed yet-shakes her finger- shame on you. I may not keep writing if I don't have people to write for, that's just boring. Okay I need to get home and get ready for my softball game so I'm outtie. Lots of love!

Your loving author,

Rejected Goddess


	7. Chapter 6:Shadows and Shinigami

Chapter 6: Shadows and Shinigami

Duo looked apologetically at his blond friend. He was curled up on the couch with Trowa fast asleep. Duo felt bad for slipping tranquilizers into their food but he had been left with no choice. He had to go find Heero tonight and Quatre would never have let him leave. He pulled on his black snowcap and tucked his braid up in it. He silently slipped from the apartment and made his way to the parking garage where he had left his bike. Tonight he was going to get his Heero back.

(x)X(x)

Relena started kissing his neck and licking the shell of his ear trying to get a response from him. All she got was a roll of Heero's eyes and an exasperated sigh. "Relena, this isn't going to go anywhere. You. Do Not. Turn Me On!"

"I haven't even started to warm up yet lover." Relena purred as she slid down his body.

Heero turned his head away and tried not vomit. This whole thing was just making him happier that he was gay. If all women were as psychotic as this one then there was no way he could ever be in a straight relationship.

"Mistress."

Relena halted her downward progress and growled at the intruder while Heero thanked all the Gods he could think of for the interruption.

"What do you want? I told you I wanted nothing to disturb me." Relena snarled.

"I'm sorry my mistress but security believes that the Preventors are planning something. It would probably be wise to move your…guest before there is an attempt to reclaim him."

"Fine we'll move him tonight but know that I'm not happy with this set back." She stopped on her way out the door to whisper something to the shadowed figure before she continued on her way.

The shadow turned to follow their mistress and shut the door behind them, mercifully leaving Heero alone.

(x)X(x)

Duo brought his bike to a stop about a mile away from Relena's mansion and hid the sleek black street bike off the road. That was one reason he had brought the bike instead of a car; a bike was much easier to cover up. He pulled off his black gloves and smeared black face paint on his face before pulling the gloves back on. If anybody happened to look his way, all they would see was a shadow. Finally, he started his way toward the house and mentally ran over the ground plan he had memorized. Back when people had been making assassination attempts on Relena, Heero had done some bodyguard work and his laptop still had a ground plan left over for feature use. Of course Heero wouldn't just leave something like that lying on the desktop, it had been buried and protected so well he doubted that even Heero could have gotten back into it. However, Duo was a talented hacker among other things. The gundam pilots had to be skilled at everything they might have needed in a war. Duo's violet eyes narrowed in the near total darkness to dangerous slits at the thought of why this was happening in the first place. If Relena thought and interplanetary war was bad, she was really going to have nightmares now. This was war, it was personal, and Shinigami was coming specifically for her.

(x)X(x)

Quatre groaned as he felt someone shaking him back into reality. He immediately regretted opening his eyes when the lights made him feel like a semi had been dropped on his head. Trowa sat beside him waiting with a glass of water and some aspirin on hand, as he waited for the blond to sit up.

"What happened?" Quatre groaned as he grabbed both with a grateful look at his lover. "I feel like we had another one of our poker nights."

"No love." Trowa shook his head in amusement. "My guess is that Duo drugged us because I checked the entire apartment and Heero's and he's gone."

"I should have realized he would pull something like this." Quatre said starting to shake his head, wincing at the pain he stopped and laid back down on the couch. "We should call the others and have the sick bay ready at headquarters."

Trowa gave him a funny look at the last part and Quatre smirked, fearing to laugh lest it hurt his pounding head. "If I know Duo," he said throwing his arm over his eyes, "someone is going to come back bleeding."

(x)X(x)

Duo caught the comatose guard before he could hit the floor and alert anyone else to his presence. He didn't want to take anyone's life unless it was necessary, or unless it was that conniving bitch Relena's. That he would do for the pleasure. After dragging the guard to a remote closet, taking his Id and clearance card he hurried off down the hall. If he was thinking right and the ground plan was accurate then Heero would most likely be kept on the lowest floor. To get there he had to get into the ground floor of the house and make his way down. Relena was to smart to accidentally put him in a room with sewer or ventilation access. Footsteps approaching from down the hall forced him to hide in a room that was by him, he left it cracked a little so he could hear any conversation they might be having about Heero. Two people stopped right outside the door and started arguing. The first voice was familiar but he couldn't place it, something in it was different. The second voice there was no mistaking; it was none other than Relena Peacecraft's. Duo had to force himself not to jump out and shoot the dumb broad right then, she might say something about Heero. No that was an understatement; she was always talking about Heero.

"Look I don't care what you think. Heero is going to realize he loves me and as soon as he knows that all this will be over," Relena's angry voice announced.

"But this is madness, as soon as the Preventors have proof of this you'll be arrested and tried for kidnapping!" The second voice shouted back.

'Where have I heard that voice before? It's driving me nuts.'

"Look by the time that happens Heero will have come to his senses and he'll tell them that he came to me willingly," Relena assured. "Don't worry so much, I've got this all figured out." With that, she turned and continued down the hall. His blood was pounding so loudly in his ears that he almost missed the sound of a soft pain filled sigh.

"Oh Relena, when will you stop this nonsense and see how much **I** love you?"

This shocked Duo for a minute; someone loved Relena even though she was doing a criminal act for her own selfish reasons? Before he could do anything, the footsteps retreated down the hall and the second speaker was gone. Making sure the coast was clear he cautiously snuck back into the hallway and continued making his way toward Heero. If Relena had come from this way then he had to be close by. He quickened his pace when he heard a commotion coming from a room at the far end of the silent hall. Looking around the doorframe, he could see four people struggling with someone that was on the bed. A string of violent curses in Japanese told him that it was his Hee-chan. It looked like they were trying to drug him but he was pitching around so much they couldn't get the needle in without injuring him. Quietly he pulled his knife from the sheath at his wrist and snuck up behind one of the guards. He grabbed the preoccupied man and held the razor sharp tip to his throat halting all movement except for the thrashing Heero was doing; still unaware of the fact something was going on.

"Drop your weapons and lie face down on the ground or this one dies." Duo said letting shinigami take over. Heero finally stopped as he heard the voice. The relief in his eyes was unmistakable and unhidden. The other three guards did as they were told. Duo grabbed a syringe from the one he was holding. "Is this a tranquilizer?" The guard stammered a yes afraid to nod but barely able to speak for fear of dying. "Good now lay down like the rest." The guard did as he was told and Duo injected him with some of the tranquilizer. "If this was meant for Heero then a little bit on each of you should knock you out long enough to get out of here." He walked around and injected them all with a fourth of what they were going to give Heero. After that was done, he searched them all and found the keys to Heero's cuffs. Once Heero was free, he sat up and rubbed his wrists trying to get some circulation back into his hands. He stood up only to be surrounded by Duo's warm arms and the smell of his long chestnut hair. Finally, the American pulled back and grabbed his hand.

"We have to get out of here quick, I'm sure someone will come looking soon to see what's taking them so long." Duo said already pulling Heero from the room. He hurried along to keep up with the swift steps the former thief was using.

"Duo, thank you for coming for me." Heero said quietly even as he scanned the hall for potential danger.

"Don't worry about it, I love you so it's my duty to protect you. Besides I think I kinda like having you around." Duo said with a sly smirk, never slowing his pace.

They quickly got back to the ground floor and Duo ushered the Japanese man the window he had come in by. Heero lowered himself down from the ledge and dropped silently onto the balls of his feet with Duo not far behind.

"Quick we have to get over the wall and run like hell. I stashed my bike about a mile away from the entrance." They snuck across the dark yard and were almost over the wall when a guard spotted them. Duo pushed Heero up onto the top right as the guard started to fire. The bullet meant for Heero caught Duo and he almost let go of the rope from the blow. Heero grabbed his wrist and yanked him up and over the wall. Suddenly they were falling and then his world went black.

(x)X(x)

Heero sat next to the pale form in the bed with one of the occupants hands clasped tightly in his own. Other people would come and go but he hardly noticed them. The only thing that mattered right now was Duo. Duo had come to rescue him and now he was lying in this bed without any sign of life other than the steady beep of the heart monitor. Where was the light that had shone so brightly before? Why wouldn't he open his eyes? He had been so absorbed with a thousand questions and feelings of guilt running through his mind that he had only half heard Sally say something about blood loss and trauma from the fall. He vaguely remembered Quatre trying to make him feel better and trying to get him to eat but none of it got to him. His attention stayed solely focused on the angel lying in the hospital bed. He was afraid that if he let go for one second that angel would disappear and leave him forever.

Outside Sally, Quatre, Trowa, Wufei, and Trieze all looked in the small window in the door at the hunched and weary Japanese man clinging to Duo's hand. He looked like a mere shadow compared to how he had looked before Relena had taken him. Trowa tried to comfort his small lover as tears poured down his face. He knew Quatre's sense was letting him feel all of the hurt that Heero was feeling. He wasn't sure how much more the little blond could take before he broke down.

"I'm sorry guys, I don't know what else to tell you. Duo's in bad shape with all the blood loss he suffered, not to mention the injuries incurred from the fall. I still don't know how Heero got him back here alive." Sally told the somber group. If he doesn't show signs of improvement soon, Heero is going to be in a bed next to him from starvation and exhaustion."

"Trowa, there has to be something that we can do, some procedure that hasn't been tried." Quatre pleaded with his lanky lover. Trowa just looked sadly down at him and shook his head. Before they knew what was happening Quatre's eyes rolled back into his head and his body started violently shaking. Sally rushed over and tried to help Trowa keep a grip on the young man.

"Trowa what is going on? Is this normal"? Sally asked.

"No it isn't normal but I think he's having a break down from the stress Heero is putting on his sense." Trowa explained. "We have to get him out of the building quick. A hospital isn't the place to keep someone like him." Wufei ran over, grabbed the blonde's ankles, and helped Trowa get him outside to the car. By the time they got him there, his seizures had calmed down and his breathing was the slow even breath of sleep. "Tell the other's I'm taking him home, he can't be here with the state Heero's in. He may not look it but he thinks this is all his fault." With that, he sped away leaving a furious Wufei standing in the parking lot.

'How could the Perfect Soldier think this was his fault? Relena's the one who kidnapped him. Sure, Duo had some blame for going in there alone to save him but this is mainly that dumb bitch's fault. Someone is going to pay for putting my friends through this.' Something had to be done before shadows were all that were left of the Perfect Soldier and Shinigami.

(x)X(x)

Okay that's all for chapter six everyone. I hope you all enjoy it because I worked on it forever only to start typing it and completely redo it. It was originally going to be the last chapter but I didn't like the ending so it changed. It's amazing how you think of better stuff if you write it then type it. Well that's all for me I'm going to beddie bye for it is now two am and I have to go school shopping tomorrow morning. Au revior my dear readers and don't forget to review for me!

Rejected Goddess


	8. Chapter 7:Two Beds and a Coffee Machine

Chapter 7: Ghosts and Dreams

Trowa sighed as he followed his blond lover through the hallway of the hospital. Even after the violent episode he had had a few weeks ago Quatre still insisted on coming to check on Heero every day. The taller man was convinced that it was causing him tremendous pain just to get close to the door. The toll of going there day after day for hours at a time was beginning to take its toll on the normally cheerful Arabian. It was apparent in the dark circles that were ringing his aquamarine eyes.

After the normal and futile attempt to get Heero to talk to them or to step out of the room Trowa got up and pulled his companion out into the hall. Once the door had shut Quatre leaned back against the wall and sighed in relief. It may not have been much better with only a door separating him and Heero's pain but at least he couldn't see the anguish on his friend's haggard face. Trowa pulled him into a comforting hug and buried his face in the top of Quatre's silky hair.

"I know how you feel love but it's not helping any, he doesn't even acknowledge that we're there."

Quatre pulled back so that he could look into his boyfriend's emerald green eyes. "I know it helps him, I can feel his pain lift a little knowing that we come each day."

"Look Quatre, we have to do something. He won't eat hardly anything at all, he only sleeps when he can't stay awake any more, and I don't think I've ever once seen him take one step outside of that room. If we don't find some way to pull him out of this he's going to be lying in a bed right next to Duo."

The sandrock pilot hung his head trying to think of something, he could feel the Japanese man's thoughts returning to self blame and despair. "Why don't we try to get him out of the room for a while, take a walk around the hospital so that he can get away from this room for a bit."

Trowa smiled and ruffled his hair. "Good thinking cherub, now we just have to find a way to get him to leave for more than a milli-second."

Going back into the room Trowa laid his hand softly on Heero's shoulder as Quatre stepped in front of him, effectively cutting off his view of the immobilized shinigami. A small frown crossed Heero's face as his thoughts and endless staring were disturbed by a pair of khaki shorts. Looking up he saw that the pants were attached to a short blond with determined blue eyes. After a second his wayward brain finally registered that it was Quatre that had interrupted his most recent list of reasons as to why this was his entire fault.

Quatre's eyes softened as he knelt down in front of his weary friend. "Heero, you need to stop doing this to yourself. None of this was your fault, Duo chose to go after you by himself and we weren't careful enough to stop him. But if anything the blame should be on Relena."

Heero shook his head and just stared at his lap. Trowa's hand tightened on his shoulder and he looked up to see the taller man staring right through him.

"Heero, Quatre's right, none of this is anyone's fault but that she-demon's. But more importantly if you don't start taking care of yourself Duo is going to wake up to find the man he risked his life for nearly dead from starvation. Is that how you want to thank him for what he did?"

The weary perfect soldier dropped his head fighting back tears as the realization of what he had been doing was thrown at him like a sack of rocks. The man he loved had done something like that for him and he was acting like a petulant child that had been denied his favorite toy. How could he have done something this selfish?

Trowa grabbed Heero's chin and brought his face up so that they were looking each other straight in the eye. "The thing that you need to do now is to get yourself back to normal so Duo doesn't think he's dead. And that's what he'll think if he finds you looking like the living dead."

Heero nodded and squeezed Trowa's hand in silent appreciation.

Quatre grabbed Heero's free hand and started tugging on his arm. "C'mon the first thing that you need to do is get out of this room for a while, take a walk. Then after that you need to get some food in you and take a shower."

Heero allowed himself to be pulled to his feet blond and led out of the room by the exuberant little blond.

Thankfully for Heero, Trowa intervened and said that it might be better if someone stayed to watch Duo just incase anything happened. After agreeing that course of action would be best, Trowa and Heero were finally free to walk in silence down the hall. The taller man loved his hyper mate but he knew that Heero needed to be able to think things out for a while.

About ten minutes later the two were walking in a comfortable silence through the small garden the hospital had outside. Heero had been walking with his hands crammed in his pockets and staring at the ground the whole time, and then he suddenly stopped as if an important piece in a puzzle had finally fallen into place. Trowa stopped and waited for Heero to say what had been on his mind. He didn't have to wait long.

"Trowa, that entire time I've been in that room, I never once thought about turning on the TV to see the news, it just seemed unimportant."

Trowa nodded, understanding what had been consuming Heero's attention until earlier that day. He waited for his friend to put together what he wanted to ask about the outside world he had missed.

"Did the police ever catch Relena to take her to trial?"

He had been waiting for that question to come along and he dreaded what he was going to have to tell the man. That selfish bitch deserved to pay for the hell she had put them all through, but retribution didn't seem like it would be very soon in coming.

Just as he was opening his mouth to explain what had happened two things caught his attention. One, a flash of blond hair coming straight at them as fast as it could, alerted him to Quatre's incoming arrival, and two he caught a glimpse of Heero's eyes rolling back into his head as his knees started to buckle. Reaching out he grabbed hold of the limp Japanese man before he could hit the ground. Trowa was taking Heero's pulse as the gasping blond bent over with his hands on his knees trying to catch his breath. Before Quatre could find out what had happened the lanky man had scooped up a comatose perfect soldier and was running towards the emergency room entrance.

(X)(x)(X)

Everyone was gathered once more, coffees in hand, in the waiting room of the hospital anxiously awaiting the news from Sally.

Wufei growled low in his throat as he paced, getting more impatient with each complete circuit he made. Sighing Zechs stood and grabbed the irate Chinese man and pushed him into a seat.

"And stay there. You're making us all jittery with that infernal pacing of yours!"

Wufei glared at the silver haired man before grumbling something about slow onas and pushy lovers. Crossing his arms over his chest he looked away and glared at a poor vending machine that nearly melted from the superheated gaze.

Zechs sunk back down into his seat and scrubbed his face with his hands. The last couple of weeks had been tense on everyone, especially him. Everyone expected him to find his sister and haul her in for her trial. The truth was that he'd been working around the clock to do just that and so far he hadn't had any luck at all. His seemingly limitless resources were almost completely exhausted. He still had plenty of money, that wasn't the problem. The problem was that he had tried every contact, every safe house and mansion, and every private detective he could get, and yet he still couldn't find where the hell his sister had managed to escape to.

Treize's warm hand rubbing his back brought him out of his reverie and he gave the other man a weak smile of thanks. Wufei walked over and sat down on the other side of the defeated Peacecraft heir and wrapped his arm around his shoulders, anger long forgotten at the lost look he had seen on his lover's face. Treize leaned over and placed a soft kiss on Zech's cheek and brushed an escaped lock of silver hair back behind his ear.

"Don't worry beautiful, we'll find that banshee and we'll drag her back here by her hair. She won't get away with what she's done."

Wufei nodded in concurrence, deciding it best to keep his mouth shut so as to avoid one of his tirades. No one was in the mood for that right then and he knew the value of silence. He contented him self with mirroring Treize's earlier move and leaning over to brush his lips across Zech's other cheek. This got a tiny bit bigger smile from the down hearted man in the middle. Knowing that he had the love of two wonderful men always made him feel better; he had no idea what he would do without them.

At that moment Sally finally came in the room with a weary look on her face. Quatre sat up from lying on Trowa's lap and everyone seemed to come to attention as well.

Sally smiled a bit, glade to see that so many people cared for the health of their friends. "Well the bad news is that Heero is going to have to stay in the hospital for about a week. The good news is that he only passed out from exhaustion and hunger. I can't believe that the nurses didn't make him eat this entire time he's been here and if he wasn't the perfect soldier I'd be surprised that he made it this long without collapsing."

A collective sigh rose from the group as she told them Heero would be ok. Sally could see their expressions change from anxious, to relieved, to cold almost as one with the progression of their thoughts. Everyone was now wondering if the status of Duo's condition was going to get any better within the near future.

(X)(x)(X)

Duo's pale form laid in the hospital bed with IV's in his arm and tubes coming from his nose looking like nothing more than a ghost. The body in the bed next to his didn't look any better for that matter. If anything it looked more haggard because of the longer abuse on the body. At least Duo had been receiving nutrients via a feeding tube but Heero had been fully conscious and hardly anyone had thought to see if he had been eating.

Duo's eyes moved under closed lids as if seeing something only someone in his state could see. His thin hands twitched slightly as his unconscious mind dreamed of something. The movement was so small though that someone would've had to been staring at his hands just to think that something had moved. Event then it would have been questionable as to have been a trick of the light.

His hands ran along a wall trying to make sense of where he was going. He had been going so long in this dark place that he didn't know how much time had passed. The only thing he knew was that he had to get back to Heero. His beautiful Heero would be worried sick about him if he didn't get back soon.

'Back? Back where?'

He shook his head trying to think of where it was he was supposed to be. He had been here so long he was starting to forget, but as his memory faded a growing sense of urgency had been slowly increasing, rising up and trying to take over his senses. All he knew now was that he needed to do something important before he made the man he loved sad forever.

As he was thinking this a light grew around him and he suddenly found himself in a rundown section of a city. He groaned knowing what was coming. The dark tunnel was broken by these sections of memories. Except something always happened to make them different, they became horrific nightmares that he couldn't escape. All he could do once they came was run like hell and wish for the tunnel to come back.

He caught a glimpse of a person walking down the street and realized what memory he was in. Fear seized his as the memory of what happened made him panic.

'No!' his mind screamed. 'Anything, anything but this! Don't make me relive this one. I won't be able to handle it.'

His body was forced into motion as the dream took over, he was taking the same route he had the day this terrible memory had happened. After passing through the city in a blur he stopped at the edge of a forest and looked to see if anyone was following him. His mind silently screamed at his body to stop, just as it had so many times before. Just like all the other times though his body didn't listen and the memory progressed.

His slim form passed silently through the forest hardly making a noise as he continued on to the place his gundam was hidden. In an hour he was supposed to be clear of the colony and into space to rendezvous with Heero for a joint mission.

The dream sped up, bypassing the uninteresting time it had taken to get to the specified meeting point. What he saw when he got there was the part that still haunted him.

Heero was in the midst of a battle, mobile dolls had surrounded him and a battle cruiser was advancing fast. They were either trying to capture him or they were just going as back up to take out the target if the dolls failed. Heero finished off the last of the dolls and was turning when one snuck up behind him and restrained the Wing Gundam as the cruiser powered up. Duo watched as Heero's suit started to glow. Quickly measuring the distance between the approaching cruiser and Heero, Duo realized what the crazy Japanese man was going to do. By then it was too late and Duo had no time to do anything other than scream as he watched the love of his life self destruct. Tears poured from Duo's horrified violet eyes as he sat and watched the explosion disperse. The only man he had ever loved had just died before his eyes and he hadn't done anything.

'He didn't know, I never got the chance to tell him that I-I…'

His eyes widened when he saw a white flight suit floating amongst the wreckage. Throwing his gundam into motion as fast as he could, he reached the form and jumped out as fast as he could. The body was close enough, he could lightly push off and grab it and then pull them both back to the Death Scythe in a few seconds. Once back inside of the machine he pulled the helmet off and his glove, reaching for Heero's neck to find a pulse. He almost broke down in gratitude as he felt a weak one, but it was there, there was still a chance that he could save him.

This is when the memory changed to a nightmare. The Death Scythe wouldn't respond as Duo set a course for Earth. No matter what he tried the gundam wouldn't move an inch.

Heero's eyes fluttered open while Duo sat there clutching onto him for dear life. Tears streamed down his face and violent sobs wracked his body. The touch of Heero's warm hand made Duo pull back and look at him. Heero just smiled at him like he knew what Duo was feeling. Then his hand slipped away and his eyes fluttered shut once more. The desperate shinigami grabbed Heero's face and begged him to open his eyes again. He stopped and watched in horror as his love's soft lips parted and a breath so content, it sounded like a sigh, slipped out. But his chest didn't rise to take another breath. Heero's limp form stayed still. Duo's breath came faster as panic took hold of him once more. He shook Heero's shell as hard as he could but there was no response. As the tears flowed freely and unrestrained once more a space shattering scream broke loose. So powerful was it that the empaths of the colonies all stopped to clutch at their chests, feeling as if their hearts had just shattered for no reason at all. The Death Scythe finally began to move but Duo didn't even notice. Heero was dead, his Heero was gone and nothing could bring him back. Not even Shinigami.

Duo pulled Heero's body to him and curled around him burying his face into Heero's neck. He cried until nothing was left, no tears would come but his body still shook with grief stricken sobs. All he had to do now was wait for the pain in his heart to explode, and for death to take him to meet the only man he would ever love.


	9. Author's Note!

Author's Note

Sorry this next chapter is taking so long everyone! I'm really trying. I've had theatre after  
school ever day for the past couple of months plus I have a part time job now from 7-11  
5 days a week. Please, please, please forgive me. I graduate in like 5 days so I'll finally have  
time to write more. I'm also going to start on a few new stories this summer before I go to  
college. And for all of you wonderful fans out there that really like my work be watching for  
a…..tasty one shot. Plus I'm going to start a few stories in other animes, saiyuiki for example.  
Alrighty I have to run for now. Thanks all.

Lots of Luv,

Rejected Goddess


	10. Chapter 8: Ties That Bind

Chapter 8: Ties That Bind 

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of the characters in it, yada yada yada. You all know the routine.

Thank you all for waiting so patiently for this chapter and for not killing me while I was working on it. It's not a very long chapter but I had a bit of a writer's block for a while and then I lost the notebook most of the chapters were in. -.-' It was just one big long ordeal. But here it is and I hope you all enjoy! And please be kind, Reviews are loved.

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He was dreaming, he knew that, but everything seemed so real. He was lying in grass looking up at a clear blue sky watching the fluffy white clouds drift by. He jumped slightly as the grass rustled beside him as someone sat down. His mind had been wandering, drifting like the clouds, and he hadn't even been aware of anyone approaching. He sat straight up as he noticed exactly who was sitting beside him.

"Duo!"

"Duh, who else would it be?" The braided man asked as he chuckled.

"But you…aren't you…you're supposed to be in a coma." The stunned Japanese man stammered.

"Heero, Heero, Heero." The American said as he shook his head. Suddenly he was leaning in closer, barely inches apart. "Tell me what you think after this." With that he closed the distance between them, pressing his lips to Heero's stunned ones.

Heero's eyes fluttered shut and he opened his mouth as he felt Duo's tongue caressing his lips, asking for admittance. He was lost in the feel of their tongues dueling when suddenly he felt Duo gasp and slump forward in his arms. Duo looked up at him and tried to smile as the light slowly started to fade from his eyes.

Heero tremulously pulled his hand away from Duo's back when he felt something warm flowing over it, knowing before he saw it, what he would find. His fears were confirmed as his hand came away covered in blood. He looked around frantically for who ever had shot Duo but there was no one in sight. He looked back down at Duo in panic and felt his heart stop. The American's glassy eyes stared back at him blankly. His chest wasn't moving and when he checked, he couldn't find a pulse. Desperately he started shaking the silent form in his arms, trying to get a response, any response, to disprove what he knew was already true.

"Duo! Duo wake up! You can't leave me." Sobs began to rack his body as it finally sunk in. "I love you, Duo."

He dropped his head down onto Duo's chest and cried for the first time he could ever remember. Duo, his love and life, was gone.

(x)(X)(x)

The grieving man finally picked his head up from the chest of his love that he held in his arms. His tears had stopped long ago, only for the fact that there were none left. As he sat there a thought occurred to him. There was a way to be together again, a way only he could make happen. Death had torn them apart and now it would reunite them. He pulled out his ever-present field knife, something that he had used frequently in the war, and smiled. The very thing that had saved his life so many times was now going to end it. As he drug the blade across his wrist he smiled and lay beside the body he had clung to. Now nothing mattered, Death was finally coming for him and then he would be with the only man he loved. A soft sigh escaped his lips as darkness closed in and he whispered one word.

"Forever"

(x)(X)(x)

The silent man felt a tug at his heart, from the very depths of his soul and gave him an idea. He pulled the knife from his dead love's belt and held it up in front of his eyes. They would be together again, no matter what. Life wouldn't be bearable without his bright smile, his jokes, and his warm laugh. He closed his eyes smiled as he drug the blade across his wrist. As he lay down beside his love, he caressed his face and his long silky braid one more time, as darkness started to close in. He smiled caressing the peaceful face beside his own and imagined the violet orbs that were no longer visible. As he closed his eyes he sighed and whispered one word.

"Forever."

(x)(X)(x)

The men gathered in the waiting room were shaken from their seats as a scream echoed through the entire hospital. It seemed to be coming from all directions and they all fell into battle ready positions until they realized why it had seemed so close, and yet so far away. Quatre lay convulsing in the arms of his lover screaming in pain, the source of which they couldn't see. Nurses running full speed down the hall indicating where the far away scream had come from. Wufei, Treize, and Zechs all traded a look as that information registered before the first two took off down the hall after the nurses. Zechs knelt to help Trowa, knowing that whatever had happened they would do everything they could to help.

Trowa gave Zechs a grateful look in helping to control his writhing boyfriend. Both let out a sigh of relief as the small blond finally stopped and his pulse was found to be returning to normal.

Treize and Wufei slid to a stop out side of a room swarming with nurses and doctors. The loud screeching of a flat lined heart monitor told them what was happening to the patient inside. Wufei turned and leaned back against the wall with a sigh of relief when he realized it was the wrong room. Sally had just told them that everything was stable.

(x)(X)(x)

Back in the lobby Trowa was finally bringing Quatre around. The blonde's blue eyes fluttered open, focusing before he sat bolt upright and his pale shaking hand clutched at his chest as he gasped for air.

(x)(X)(x)

A gasp from Treize made Wufei swing back around to see what was wrong. A pale hand hanging off of one of the beds and long braid pooled on the floor caught his attention and made his breath freeze in his chest. Denial was already running through his mind. 'The baka can't be gone. Sure I told him some harsh things over the years but it was mainly because he had a way of worming himself into people's hearts. Even mine.' Heero was a prime example of that, only Duo's infectious smile and laugh could've melted a wall like that. 'Someone like that can't be gone.' He thought to himself, desperately trying to convince himself that what he was seeing was wrong.

A rough surface digging into the palm of his hand brought him out of his reverie and back to reality. After a second of staring blankly at it he realized that it was one of the nameplates that had the patient's names on it. He couldn't bring himself to move his hand and see who was on it. If he did he knew that his whole world was going to start crashing around him.

(x)(X)(x)

"What happened Quatre?" Zechs asked tentatively. He wasn't quite sure he wanted to know but the question was hovering over them like a dark cloud.

Quatre turned his glazed eyes to Zechs and blinked trying to clear his head. "I felt like my heart was ripped from my chest."

Trowa glanced worriedly at his small lover. "Why? Where did it come from?"

Quatre looked at his boyfriend and broke down. He fell sobbingly into Trowa's embrace and mumbled something that Zechs couldn't quite hear from where he was. His blood turned cold though as he saw the look of fear on the Heavy Arms pilot's normally stoic face. The answer was as clear to him if he had shouted it. And then he took off down the hall after his lovers.

(x)(X)(x)

Wufei had finally gathered his strength to move his hand. Inch by inch the nameplate became visible. With one last force of will he wrenched his hand away to find his fears confirmed. The last thing he heard was a whispered prayer.

"Dear God's, please not both of them."

(x)(X)(x)

Zechs rounded the corner just in time to see Wufei tumble to the floor and Treize turn to catch him. As Zechs reached them he bent down to help gather the unconscious Chinese man and carry him back to the waiting room. News would come soon enough. Either it would allay their fears, or it was going to be very bad news for one blond Foreign Minister.

(x)(X)(x)

Wufei groaned as the darkness receded. He was sitting on something firm, yet soft at the same time, and there was a steady thumping next to his ear. As he sat fully up he realized that something was Trieze.

"Finally back among the living I see." Treize said, letting out a sigh of relief.

"What happened?" Wufei groaned as he held his throbbing head.

Treize and the others exchanged a brief glance before Zechs laid his hand on his lover's shoulder.

"You ah…feinted."

The events of what had occurred started to flood back to him. He began to panic as he remembered where he had been before he had passed out.

"Oh Gods! What happened? Is Duo ok?" He gushed as he looked around at the group.

Two pairs of arms enveloped him trying to calm him and also to prevent him from getting up and rushing back down the hall. This only caused Wufei to fear the worst, that they were calming him for the news that was to come.

Treize looked to Quatre for help with a pleading look in his eyes. "Will you tell him what happened? Please?"

Quatre nodded and got up from his seat by Trowa and slowly walked over to where Wufei was looking at him in near hysterics. He knelt down in front of his distraught friend trying to find the words to explain what had happened to him.

"Wufei, they only way I can explain what happened is that Heero and Duo have a tie that binds them together, something that connects their souls and very lives together. I think that something happened to Duo in his unconscious mind that made him believe Heero was dead and thus he chose to follow. But Heero really wasn't and when Duo went into…into death, Heero's soul felt it and he followed Duo." Quatre stopped as he saw Wufei's face turn gray and realized what the Chinese man was thinking. "Don't worry though, the doctors were able to bring them both back. Sally came out while you were unconscious and assured us that everything was fine and that they were standing by incase something like this happens again."

Wufei let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding and slumped back against Treize again. Within moments the group could hear his breathing even out and realized he had fallen asleep.

(x)(X)(x)

Dorothy turned off the TV in shock. It was all over the news; everything that had happened was on every station. The world was holding its breath waiting to see what happened to two of the men that had helped save it. She buried her face in her hands in shame that she had been part of it. Her blind love had caused her to overlook the fact that Relena had become dangerously obsessed. Never had she thought that by carrying out the plan Relena had devised that anyone would get hurt. Now Duo was lying in a hospital bed in a coma and Heero was in a bed next to him from exhaustion and malnutrition.

And all of it was her fault. She could have stopped it all by telling Relena that it was wrong, but she hadn't. Determinedly she stood and walked into Relena's bedroom on the ship they were on. As she passed the dresser she grabbed a candlestick and silently crept up behind the other blond. After Relena had slumped forward over her desk Dorothy checked her pulse to make sure she hadn't done any real damage, and then tied her to the chair. Once she was sure that Relena wouldn't be able to get out she set off for the cockpit. She changed their destination settings and entered the new course then sat back. She had helped start this mess, yes, but now she was going to end it. She would do what she had to in order to atone for her mistake.

(x)(X)(x)

**Well there you have it folks. The chapter you have all been waiting for. I promise the next one will be out quicker than this one. And the next one will probably be the last. Sorry again that it took so long and if you don't like it please don't kill me. .** **I promise you'll all like the next one . I'm getting out of here so thank you for reading all you lovely fans out there. And remember to REVIEW. Me likey reviews! **

**Rejected-Goddess**


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